The Grand Duchess takes charge!

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Vicky Peterwald: Rebel (Vicky Peterwald #3) by Mike Shepherd.

I am in two minds about this spinoff from the Kris Longknife series. More a Gilbert and Sullivan space operetta than a grand space opera. In the end, I did like it.
I did find the dialogue straying perilously close to wooden, if not verging on something from a B grade detective novel. Sometimes I felt like I was reading the cartoon balloons from a Superhero graphic novel. 
Her Imperial Grace, The Grand Duchess, Lieutenant Comander Victoria of Greenfield, otherwise known as Vicky could be a carbon copy of Samantha B. (Sex in the City) in 'space.' (That is, intelligent, sexy, and marches to the beat of her own outrageous drum). That's ok 'cause our girl is growing up and coming through the spoilt princess brat stage, albeit with her own particular twists.
So there's planets to save, Admirals to jolly along, aliens threatening and bad old step-mom thinking up new and devious ways to take out Vicky. Along the way losing it spectacularly over the air waves, all as Vicky holds her course à la Kris Longknife's tried and true  tricks and examples.
And of course, we're left hanging about what comes next.
A fun read!

A NetGalley ARC

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